Chris Stryczynski

When you shouldn't use Kubernetes

So having worked with Kubernetes extensively over the past 2+ years, why would I be telling you not to use Kubernetes?

Well, it isn’t always the ideal solution. It depends a lot of the project and what you’re looking to achieve. So what are the disadvantages to using Kubernetes?

Knowledge / training required. One of the big disadvantages is that it takes time for individuals or teams to understand Kubernetes and all it’s associated functionality. Kubernetes is not a simple system as a whole, and there are quite a few moving parts. If your system goes down, does your team have the necessary knowledge to get everything back up and a running?

Complexity. You may not need the entire Kubernetes system, perhaps you just need service discovery or automated deployments. The less things to get in the way and break down, the more reliable your system can be.

Maintenance . Kubernetes has only been around for 5 years, this is a relatively short time for technology compounded by the incredible growth it’s seen. Kubernetes moves quickly, things can be deprecated incredibly quick and a lot of common functionality used is often in alpha / beta. Some effort would need to be dedicated to keeping things up to date.

The above are some things to keep in mind and consider if you’re thinking about moving to Kubernetes. You might still have very good reasons for moving to Kubernetes - which there are numerous resources online that can highlight the benefits.